David Campese’s Bledisloe Cup all-time XV: Dan Carter snubbed for ‘the best 10 I have ever seen’ as eight Wallabies make the cut

James While
Split All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu, Wallabies greats Michael Lynagh and David Campese.

Split All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu, Wallabies greats Michael Lynagh and David Campese.

It’s the Wallabies v All Blacks for the first time in 2024 as the two sides slog it out in the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup in Sydney.

With that in mind, Planet Rugby pundit and Wallaby great David Campese picks his all-time Bledisloe Cup XV, and in typical Campo style, there are a few shocks to be had!

Campese played a record 29 times against the All Blacks, winning eight. In the Bledisloe itself, he won three times in 11 matches and without further ado here is his selection.

Campo’s Bledisloe all-time XV

15. Roger Gould (Australia): An absolute rock at the back as a fullback and someone I’d trust with my life. I was also a big fan of Christian Cullen but Big Rog is my choice.

14. Brendon Moon (Australia): Part of the golden era of Alan Jones, Bren was as good a finisher as any. A shout-out to Dougie Howlett, always a quality operator.

13. Gary Ella (Australia): Not as many caps as some, but world-class when he played. Conrad Smith is also in this debate as a brilliant enabler for others.

12. Michael Lynagh (Australia): Noddy started off as a 12 and some thought it was his best position and he pushes Ma’a Nonu, my reserve, all the way.

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11. Jonah Lomu (New Zealand): Do I really have to explain this one? Game changing in every way and a wonderful person. No runner-up here – Jonah all the way.

10. Mark Ella (Australia): Simply the best 10 I have ever seen, with the second best, Dan Carter, my runner-up to make hay off the bench.

9. Dave Loveridge (New Zealand): ‘Trapper’ is often overlooked in the debate for the greatest scrum-halves but he was as influential in his day as Antoine Dupont is in his – just ask the 1983 Lions! Aaron Smith is also in this debate and I’d loved to have worked with his amazing pass.

Forward pack

8. Kieran Read (New Zealand- Captain): Simply the most skilled back-row I have ever seen – and considering Zinzan Brooke and Totai Kefu are available for my team, that’s saying something.

7. Richie McCaw (New Zealand): Masterful. I reckon he wore a Romulan Cloaking Device at the breakdown, such was his brilliance. He sees off my runner-up, Josh Kronfeld.

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6. Greg Cornelson (Australia): One of the few to grab four tries in a game and he did it against the All Blacks! My runner-up would be Ian Kirkpatrick – two masters of the blindside.

5. Brodie Retallick (New Zealand): I am a massive fan of Brodie – skilled and hard, exactly what you need. So good, in fact, that he beats off my mate John Eales.

4. Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads (New Zealand): Pinetree is arguably the greatest All Blacks, which says all you need to know. Shout out to Andy Haden, an equally impressive lock.

3. Olo Brown (New Zealand): Now I don’t know much about propping but when Jason Leonard says Olo was the best he faced by a distance, I’ll go with the Funbus. I am a big fan of Gary Knight too, hard as nails.

2. Tommy Lawton (Australia): Probably changed the way we thought about hookers – massive. Sean Fitzpatrick is my reserve here.

1. Enrico ‘Topo’ Rodriguez (Australia): Topo was the missing link in the Wallaby pack and was a rock on the loosehead. Steve McDowell is another who impressed me greatly.

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